The Asia-Pacific region is adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) at a rapid pace, posing a challenge to civil society and policymakers grappling to keep up with its potential and risks. Felippa Amanta (virtually) joined a panel discussion as part of the 10th International Conference on AI and Governance in Asia: Civil Society, Democracy, and Media organised by the Asia Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. The panel was convened under the broad topic of Rethinking Technology for Collective Impact: AI in Society and the Path Ahead. The panellists considered the multiple ways AI impacts society from their perspectives as civil society actors. The issues were wide-ranging, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence, digital exclusion, and deep fakes in politics. Representing the iDODDLE team, Felippa advocated for giving more attention to AI’s indirect and systemic impacts on the environment and recognising how AI’s societal impacts intersect with our ability to pursue climate action. AI-related energy consumption spike from data centres is a significant risk in Asia-Pacific countries with heavy fossil-fuel dependency and energy poverty, access, and security issues, further undermining the region’s energy transition progress. Yet, the environmental impacts from the diffuse ways AI is embedded in everyday life will present an even bigger challenge. The panel concluded with some policy and governance recommendations to tackle the issues.
